Wednesday, June 27, 2012

A
Note from Paul – Given the recent…um, performance of the Tribe, I can’t tell if
the current vaca that I’m on with the fam is prescient (since my ears aren’t
bleeding from what I’m sure is vitriolic stupidity being spewed across the
North Coast) or ill-timed (as we are in Chautauqua, which means we get the YES
Network for these debacles in the Bronx), the bitter taste in all of our mouths
after the Astros’ series has turned into full-blown dry heaving thinking about
where this 2012 season looks to be heading.
Thus, since there’s plenty of time to write (more) about the RH bat
situation, the LF “issue”, the back-end-of-the-rotation, and the
front-end-of-the-bullpen, I thought I’d introduce what will be a continuing
series here.

Recently,
I was fortunate enough to receive permission to cross-post the countdown of the
Top 100 Indians players of all-time that’s been taking place at Let’s GoTribe. As a fortunate “voter” in the process
to determine the Top 100, I’m thrilled to be able to include the rundown of
these players in this space. Most of the
pieces (including this one) are penned by Ryan Richards, one of my favorite
Tribe writers who – for years – has been churning out informative and
insightful analysis and whose work (in this age where quantity is valued over
quantity) has always separated itself in terms of originality over the mere
aggregation of sports news that seems to bury us from all angles.

Truly,
I hope you enjoy this series (and this writing) as much as I have and will
continue to and (in light of recent events with our Tribe); it’s a nice respite
and an enjoyable diversion. Regardless,
I’m picking up here with #91 on the list (full list here), a lesser-known
Tribesman from the 1920’s, so I’ll hand the mike over to Ryan…

Traded by the Boston
Red Sox with Chick Fewster and Roxy Walters to the Cleveland Indians for Dan Boone, Joe
Connolly, Steve O'Neill and Bill Wambsganss

Left Via (1928): Trade, 9-17-1928:

Purchased
by theNew York Yankeesfrom the Cleveland Indians

Burns was nicknamed "Tioga George" so that people
could tell him apart from another George Burns who played in the National
League about the same time as the AL George. Of course modern fans think of theactor and comedianwho had a very long career; the actor
Burns died in 1996 at the age of 100; he was just five years younger than the
George Burns who played in American league in the 1910s and 1920s.

Our George Burns was born in Niles, Ohio
in 1893, and got his start in professional ball in 1913 with several clubs,
including the Sioux City Packers of the Western League. A big and strong first
baseman, he quickly attracted the attention of theDetroit
Tigers, who acquired Burns before the 1914 season. The 21-year-old
quickly fit in with the high-powered Tiger offense, and Del Gainer, the
incumbent first baseman, was tossed onto the waiver wire. In his rookie season,
Burns hit .291/.351/.389 (119 OPS+) hitting behind Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, and
Bobby Veach.

Injuries
and illnesses would dog Burns over the next couple years. Bill James notes that
between 1915-1917, Burns had "malaria, typhoid fever, an operation for
appendicitis, a broken ankle suffered on the ball field, and a broken shoulder
blade suffered diving into a swimming pool'" Obviously all those maladies
had an effect on his play, and after a poor 1917 season he was dealt to the
Yankees, who then dealt him to the Philadelphia Athletics. Burns finally was
healthy in 1918, and it showed in his performance; he hit .352/.390/.467 for
the rebuilding Athletics, who finished 52-76. He had a solid season in 1919 for
one for one of the worst teams in history; that year's Athletics club finished
36-104. Burns was mercifully dealt early the next season, and landed with a
pennant contender.

The
1920 Indians were a loaded team, with Tris Speaker leading a high-powered
offense and Stan Coveleski and Jim Bagby headlining the pitching staff. Burns
came to the Indians in late May, and he was used as a role player the rest of
the season. He rarely started for the Indians, and seemed to be used mostly as
a pinch-hitter; he appeared in 44 games, but only played the field in 13 of
them. One of his biggest contributions to that club was giving Joe Sewell the
bat that became known as Black Betsy; In the wake of Ray Chapman's death,
Sewell was quickly called up, and need a bat. Burns pulled a black bat out of
his locker and offered it to Sewell. That bat, which was used by Sewell on
Sundays, would last throughout his Hall of Fame career, Despite the sporadic
playing time, Burns hit .268/.339/.375 for the Indians, and hit .300/.462/.400
for the Indians in 13 PA in the World Series.

Burns
played a somewhat more prominent role with the Indians in 1921, sharing time
with starting first baseman Doc Johnston. Johnston
continued to start despite getting outhit by Burns. Keep in mind that Burns was
just 28 years old at this point, nowhere near the age where starters become
part-time players. One theory I have is that the Indians were trying to take
advantage of LeaguePark, which had
ridiculously short right field. So the right-handed Burns sat most of the time
while the Indians were home in favor of left-handed Johnston. For example, Burns that season
started almost every game of a lengthy road trip in June, but when the Indians
got home, he rode the bench for most of that homestand.

So
although Burns was on a good team, he wasn't playing as much as he should have.
But he'd soon get his opportunity to play in 1922, as he was one of the three
players dealt to Boston
for Stuffy McInnis, a first baseman whose game was made more the Dead Ball Era
than the new lively ball era that was just starting. But Burns' best years were
just ahead of him. Now playing in a park with a short left field porch, Burns
played every day in 1922, smacking 49 extra base hits for the Red Sox. His next
year, 1923, was even better; he hit 47 doubles, posting a .328/.386/.470 line.

Burns
seemed to have finally found a home, but his stay in Boston would be a short one. He was dealt
that winter back to the team that didn't really use him before; the Cleveland
Indians. He was part of a huge 7-player trade, and would turn out to be the
only worthwhile acquisition of the three players the Indians got in the deal.
Now the full-time starter, Burns continued to pound out doubles despite playing
in a park that seemed to be designed to thwart his game. Burns was known for
his strange batting stance; he stood at the plate with legs close together and
his bat resting on his shoulder, but it worked for him. He hit 37 doubles in 1924,
41 in 1925, and then an incredible 64 (still the franchise record) in 1926.
That season was a magical one for Burns; he led the league in hits with 214 in
addition to topping to the circuit in doubles. He took home the MVP that
season, outdistancing second-place Johnny Mostil by 30 points.

Burns
would have another nice season in 1927 (.319/.375/.435, 109 OPS+), but that
would be the last time he'd be a full-time player. Losing playing time to Lew
Fonseca in 1928, Burns would eventually be dealt to New York that September just in time to be part
of another World Champion. He would be sold to the Athletics early next season,
and would be used mainly as a pinch hitter in his final major-league season.
He'd play and manage in the PCL for several more seasons, and when he left
baseball, he remained on the West Coast. He died in 1978 in WashingtonState
at the age of 84.